


the signs of my body

by wordlocker



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 11:08:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6467821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordlocker/pseuds/wordlocker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>five times sanghyuk is jaehwan’s alpha and the one time he is not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the signs of my body

1

They’d given up seeing Sanghyuk as the baby of the group the day Hongbin’s heat came.

 

But Hongbin was mated, and Wonshik took care of it right away, leaving Sanghyuk only slightly grumpy and on edge. Jaehwan, though, has always been a late bloomer. So his first heat comes a few months after Sanghyuk moves in, unbridled and cloyingly sweet, an unpaired omega with blood that sings like a siren song to Sanghyuk.

 

It hits out of nowhere, just like all the Biology books say – one minute Jaehwan is munching on a bowl of cereal and the next he’s being pressed against the kitchen counter, eyes flashing blue into Sanghyuk’s blood red ones.

 

“Hyung,” Sanghyuk rasps, low and delicious.

 

Jaehwan whimpers, dimly noticing the empty apartment, the rest of the group no doubt deciding to get out of the way and let nature takes its course, so to speak. They’re alone, and Jaehwan’s body is burning up, and the tantalizing scent of Sanghyuk and the rumble of his breathing is making Jaehwan wet between his thighs.

 

Sanghyuk kisses him, reverent despite the urgency in both their bloodstreams, and Jaehwan makes it a point to nibble on his bottom lip, leaving it plumper than usual. Sanghyuk exhales heavily, hips stuttering into Jaehwan’s and he’s extremely hard, Jaehwan’s hole twitching and slicking in anticipation.

 

“Let me,” he moans brokenly, lips smashed against the cut of Jaehwan’s jaw, the side of his neck. “Oh, god. Hyung, please let me.”

 

Jaehwan nods jerkily, swallowing thickly, and in an instant he’s being hauled (quite literally) out of the cramped kitchen. They don’t make it to the bedroom – unable to – but Jaehwan’s legs fall open for Sanghyuk anyway, spine arched to meet Sanghyuk’s bulk. 

 

Jaehwan cries out when Sanghyuk first slams into him, that sensation of his alpha ( _his_ , nobody else’s, now) claiming him robbing him of his breath and control. All he can do is hold on, clinging to the big, warm body on top of him, letting Sanghyuk fill him to the brim until he comes, over and over. They’re locked together for hours, the need to rut against each other waning even as they keep kissing and breathing each other’s names, laughing breathlessly into the miniscule space between them.

 

It’s sundown when they finally emerge, freshly showered and sated, Sanghyuk practically frogmarching Jaehwan into the living room as he flops against Sanghyuk’s torso. Nobody gives them any mind, although Hakyeon beams like a proud parent at Jaehwan’s newly lilac-colored eyes – a sign of a perfect match.

 

“I’m starving,” Jaehwan whines, draping himself against the couch now that Sanghyuk’s not supporting him anymore. “Feed me, please.”

 

“You were in heat, not dying. Feed yourself,” Sanghyuk grumbles, poking him in the neck.

 

It’s a mistake, because Jaehwan swings around to blink at him with those puppy eyes and jutted lower lip and Sanghyuk’s so weak for that look even before they were mated. He curses under his breath and goes off to search for the takeout menu. 

 

He might be an alpha now, and he’s not above cooking for his mate, but giving Jaehwan food poisoning is the last thing he would want to do.

2

{0848HRS}

Lee Jaehwan is parched. He contemplates asking Hongbin to grab him a glass of water, but drinking any more fluid might backfire and Hakyeon would most definitely nag his ears off if he has to go to the bathroom in his wedding suit less than twenty minutes before the ceremony.

 

He wants to blame somebody so bad, and the only person he can think of is his mother, who was responsible for arranging the family meetings before the wedding. Somehow she managed to pick dates or times when Jaehwan was unavailable – busy that he is as the newest professor in the department. And so it goes that Jaehwan has never – aside from a horribly shaky selfie picture (he did ask for the latest) – seen his future husband, until today. Later, when they’ll be hitched up on that altar. He chooses to believe his mother when she said he’s handsome and nice.

 

“Jaehwan,” comes Hakyeon shrill shriek. “Stop fidgeting in those pants, you’re going to wrinkle the fabric. Oh, lord. Do you need to _pee_?”

 

Jaehwan shuts his eyes and heaves a deep sigh.

 

{0902HRS} 

Jaehwan’s the last to walk up the aisle, and he’s determined to keep his eyes away from Sanghyuk, his soon-to-be husband, because in some weird superstitious way, he thinks it’ll stop him from jinxing himself. But what if Sanghyuk isn’t attractive, he starts thinking. They’re doing this for the good of their respective packs, and all he needs from the guy is for him to be a good alpha. And with that thought, he finally looks up, and nearly trips over nothing, only floundering a little when he feels Hongbin’s warm palm against the small of his back.

 

Sanghyuk’s watching him approach, and he’s not a stranger after all. It’s Taekwoon’s TA, and Jaehwan has been seeing him around campus for the past few months. In fact, he has been consistently drooling over how hot and huge he is. He distinctly remembers thinking _fuck me sideways_ the first time he ever laid eyes on the guy, and realizes with a jolt that that might just be possible now.

 

The sheer thought sends a frisson of lust up his spine.

 

“Are you alright?” Hongbin whispers from his side, worry dripping in his tone. “You’re trembling.”

 

Jaehwan is honestly having a difficulty breathing, heart lodged somewhere in his throat, but he manages to nod and keep walking. His eyes unconsciously flick upward to see Sanghyuk smiling at him, small but fond, and somehow he’s able to breathe again.

 

{0911HRS}

Their first kiss is, for lack of a better term, explosive. Jaehwan’s read about this before, true mates finally meeting, and the sign is undeniable – earth shattering on Jaehwan’s part as Sanghyuk angles his face and presses harder, their bodies rejoicing and letting them know that _this is it_.

 

_We are made for each other._

 

{1008HRS}

Sanghyuk’s body is firm against his, and long ( _so_ long), as they sway lightly to the music, the festivities very much going on around them. The noises of chattering and glasses clinking fade out when Sanghyuk leans closer and speaks directly into Jaehwan’s ear.

 

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, hyung,” he says softly, and Jaehwan shivers at the warm honorific. “But you’re a lot shier than Taekwoon described.”

 

Jaehwan isn’t even surprised that Taekwoon’s talked about him, the sneaky jerk. “You – did you ask him about me? You recognized me on campus?”

 

Sanghyuk smiles boyishly, nodding. “I had the luxury of a much clearer picture of yours,” he says, lightly teasing. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I was nervous, to be quite honest.”

 

Jaehwan chuckles. “Yes, what was the deal with that selfie of yours? I could barely tell whether you even have a nose and two eyes.”

 

“It was my sister’s idea. She was convinced that you should only be interested by my quote unquote virtues rather than my appearance.”

 

“Well,” Jaehwan hums, deciding to be bold. “You should let her know that I’m most definitely captivated by both.”

 

Sanghyuk stares down at him, dark eyes piercing, and Jaehwan’s entire body feels electrified.

 

_Alpha._

 

{0146HRS}

Their second kiss is decidedly more intense, taking advantage of being behind closed doors and away from the eyes of their parents and family members, Jaehwan’s body willing underneath Sanghyuk’s as he’s pinned against the bed. There’s raw ferocity in Sanghyuk’s kisses, huge hands mapping and marking Jaehwan’s body even through his clothes, and Jaehwan is helpless against it.

 

Sanghyuk pulls off, panting, and Jaehwan embarrassingly chases after his mouth, blushing when he realizes. Sanghyuk smiles dotingly at him anyway. “Hi,” he says, low and rumbling.

 

Jaehwan looks into his alpha’s eyes – flecks of gold ringing the black of his irises – and realizes he can have this forever. “Hey.”

3

Sanghyuk blinks the sweat out of his eyes, scrubbing at his soaked hair as he makes his way out of the field. His body is sore in a really good way, adrenaline still very much pumping through his veins, heart pounding pleasantly at the high of victory. Taekwoon smacks him on the shoulder so hard he nearly winces, but he sends the captain a grateful smile anyway. It’s not every day that Taekwoon will show his appreciation for his contribution so blatantly.

 

“Good job, kid.”

 

A flurry of green and gold rushes by them, raucous laughter mingling with excited cheering, and Taekwoon’s hand darts out to snag an unsuspecting wrist. 

 

“Oh. Hey, you,” Hakyeon grins, cheeks flushed under the tiny temporary tattoo of their school’s emblem. “Get to the showers, quick. A bunch of us are going out for milkshakes.”

 

Taekwoon frowns softly at his boyfriend. “Us, who?”

 

Hakyeon tilts his head, smiling indulgently. “Just Jaehwan and Wonshik. Come on. You wanna come too, Sanghyuk?”

 

Sanghyuk shakes his head. “Sorry, I still have an assignment to finish.”

 

Taekwoon tugs on Hakyeon’s hand, vying for his attention again. “Why are you friends with the other team’s cheerleaders? We’re rivals.”

 

That earns him a swift neck chop, Hakyeon tutting. “Because we’re cheerleaders. We’re spirited people, and we don’t care for stupid rivalry when we get along. Do you want milkshakes or not?”

 

Taekwoon doesn’t answer him, opting to peck him on the crest of his brow instead. Sanghyuk looks away, to the far end of the hallway, where two boys clad in their competitor’s red and black are leaning against the wall. One of them looks up and Sanghyuk’s breath stutters in his chest, his knees damn near buckling. Taekwoon sees him swaying on his feet and swings a concerned look his way.

 

“I’m – I think I’m gonna go,” he mumbles, rushing off in the direction of the locker room, his heart racing triple time and threatening to burst out of its cage.

 

He barely makes it under the shower, forced to brace himself against the slick tiles as he lets the stifling hot water cascade over him. It doesn’t calm him enough, the knowledge of what exactly is happening still running through his mind. It feels like a silly fairy tale. Nobody finds their mate in high school. It just doesn’t happen. There’s no possible reason for it to happen to Sanghyuk.

 

It’s just a fluke. Maybe he hit himself in the head during the game and is currently in a coma, and this is all an elaborate dream.

 

Yet, when he walks out of the shower, towel tied snugly around his waist, a boy ( _the_ boy, _his_ boy) is waiting for him in front of his locker. Sanghyuk notices that a) he looks as terrified as Sanghyuk is feeling, and b) he’s incredibly cute – and Sanghyuk’s positive it’s not just the alpha in him thinking that.

 

“Sorry,” the boy says, chewing on his bottom lip. “Taekwoon let me in. I – I’m—”

 

“Did you feel it too?” Sanghyuk blurts, closing the distance between them in his anxiety. 

 

Large brown eyes blink at him, pupils blown, and Sanghyuk dimly realizes that he’s essentially naked, skin and hair damp with moisture. He can smell the light, sweet fragrance of the boy in front of him, and even that is enough to make him feel heady, blood pumping rapid and hot. He can’t imagine what the sight and alpha scent of him is doing to the poor guy.

 

“You’re – you were amazing,” he breathes, gaze not leaving Sanghyuk’s. “Out on the field. I’ve seen you play a few times.”

 

Sanghyuk feels warmth bloom through him, underneath the rampant _heat_ of it all, and he tries smiling. He thinks it comes out like a grimace instead. It’s intense, this unnamed pull between them, and Sanghyuk’s fingers itch to touch and claim, right here in this dingy locker room. “Did you feel it before? When you were watching?”

 

A shake of the head, chestnut hair falling into his eyes, and the adoration in Sanghyuk flares enough for it to hurt a little. “I mean, a little bit, maybe? I’ve always thought you were attractive.”

 

Sanghyuk’s memory of the cheerleading team from their rival school is hazy at best, his head usually too far into the game to notice much about his surroundings. He thinks about missed opportunities and wasted moments, and almost cries out in anguish.

 

“This is insane. People don’t find their mates when they’re in high school.”

 

Sanghyuk’s so happy he can barely contain it, smiling so wide his cheeks hurt, extending a hand across the space between them. “We did.”

 

Their palms touch for the first time and Sanghyuk’s heart feels like it’s rebooting – thrumming with life as he drinks in the sight of full pink lips stretched into a bright grin, cheeks dusted pink and soulful eyes unwavering. Sanghyuk tugs sharply and he comes, hands clasp tight and foreheads bumping, them breathing each other in.

 

Rich, dulcet tone wafts through them, shaking Sanghyuk to the very core. “My name’s Jaehwan.”

 

 _Mine_ , Sanghyuk thinks.

4

Hongbin can spot them from a distance, unmistakable in their intimacy. Sanghyuk’s hand is in Jaehwan’s back pocket, and their bodies are angled towards each other, fluffy tails swishing lazily behind them. Sanghyuk’s pale grey ears perk right before they look up to see Hongbin, their smiles matching perfectly.

 

Hongbin vaguely wonders if he can get cavities just by spending too much time around them.

 

“Lay it on us,” Jaehwan declares as they’re waiting for their drinks to be prepared. “Your love life woes. C’mon.”

 

Hongbin groans. “What love life?”

 

Jaehwan winces, bottom lip pouting for him. “That bad, huh?”

 

“Wow, I didn’t think Wonshik would be _this_ dense,” Sanghyuk mutters disbelievingly. 

 

Hongbin swats the back of his hand. “He’s still older than you, brat. Watch it.”

 

To Hongbin’s chagrin, Sanghyuk immediately swings around to flash an extremely pouty face at Jaehwan, feigning hurt. “Did you see that, hyung? Wonshik’s not even his boyfriend yet and he’s already acting like this.”

 

Jaehwan indulges him, tutting and petting Sanghyuk’s hair, his overlarge ears flopping against his head.

 

“Ugh, you two are disgusting.”

 

Jaehwan grins toothily, his own cream-colored ears fluttering delightedly above him. “Don’t hate on romance just because you suck at it.”

 

Hongbin groans, dropping his head into his crossed forearms. “You guys are so lucky wolves mate for life. You never have to go through this.”

 

Jaehwan snorts. “What do you mean lucky? I have to put up with this doofus rapping in the shower like he’s freaking Eminem. My ears and brain bleed every single day.”

 

Sanghyuk shoves his boyfriend, scowling. “At least you’re not stuck with octopus arms here choking you in your sleep every night!”

 

“Yeah, well,” Jaehwan counters, eyes narrowed into slits. “Just put up with it, jerk. It’s the least you can do when I’m constantly stuck on your giant kno—”

 

“For the love of all that is holy and pure, please stop talking!” Hongbin interjects, glaring at the obvious way Sanghyuk is trying to stifle his laughter.

 

“He’s kidding,” Sanghyuk says, smirking. “He loves it.”

 

Hongbin lets out a series of garbled, disgusted noises and shoos him away to get their order.

 

“Seriously, Binnie,” Jaehwan finally sobers up, patting the back of his hand. “Just tell him how you feel. Everybody can tell he likes you, too.”

 

“Easier said than done,” Hongbin huffs.

 

Jaehwan cocks an eyebrow. “Did you think me and Hyukie just happen to stumble across each other and started mating? We had to take chances, too. He’s my alpha now, but we didn’t know it back then. I could tell how scared he was when he first asked me out.”

 

Hongbin remembers that – the uncertainty rife between his friends, dancing around each other shyly until the moment he walked in on them curled up on the couch and around each other, practically purring, quietly watching their favorite anime like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Hongbin wants that. He wants it badly, and preferably with Wonshik. He just wishes he can fast forward to _that_ part of the relationship without the nail biting and the second guessing.

 

“Nothing good is gonna come from you just waiting around, you know,” Jaehwan adds, almost like he’s reading Hongbin’s mind. 

 

Hongbin scours his memory for a high school Biology class where they’re told that it’s something a wolf hybrid is capable of doing. He can’t think of any.

 

“I beg to differ,” Sanghyuk says, appearing by their table juggling three cups in his large hands. “Here’s your caramel monstrosity with chocolate drizzle, milady,” he singsongs, handing a cup to Jaehwan before passing Hongbin his green tea drink. 

 

Jaehwan waits until Sanghyuk has taken his seat before pinching him in the neck, earning him a surprised yowl. They bicker immediately, and Hongbin settles in to watch, the noise and sight familiar in a soothing way. He wonders how it is that the looks in their eyes remain fond even as they are arguing, fingers poking and prodding at each other like children.

 

Hongbin thinks, surprisingly hopeful, that if he finds a relationship half as happy, he would be lucky.

 

“Just ask him out already, hyung,” Sanghyuk suddenly says to him huffily. “Then we can go on a double date and your rich boyfriend can treat us to gopchang.”

 

Jaehwan pinches him again, in the thigh this time, and Sanghyuk yelps. 

 

Hongbin seriously needs to revisit his Biology textbook to check on the wolf mind reading thing.

5

Sanghyuk asked Hongbin once, about a year ago, while they were still recovering from a particularly spectacular set of orgasms, chests heaving and bodies slicked, what he thought finding a true mate would be like.

 

Hongbin had nearly laughed. “You’re asking a beta, Sanghyuk-ah. How would I know?”

 

Sanghyuk shrugged, and climbed on top of him again, eventually forgetting why he’d even asked. Somewhere along the way, they became best friends – with and without benefits – until Hongbin introduced him, months and months later, to his roommate. 

 

He stopped calling Hongbin over for sex, because his roommate is an omega, and Sanghyuk may love orgasms, but he wasn’t big enough of an asshole to try and fuck them both at the same time.

 

Jaehwan isn’t the first omega he’s slept with, far from it, but Sanghyuk’s never been able to knot anyone before until he does it with him. Theoretically it’s a sign that they’re compatible – _mates_ , but Sanghyuk is still trying to figure out what that means, so he doesn’t take it to heart. Even so, he stops sleeping around completely, and tells himself that it’s because he actually likes Jaehwan, and thinks he’s cute even when they’re not in bed, and so he hates to hurt his feelings.

 

Hongbin calls them boyfriends now, and although Sanghyuk doesn’t exactly hate the sound of it, he’s still not about to put a label on them just yet. Especially since Hongbin himself has been tagging along on a few of their so-called “dates”. Jaehwan has not talked about it, either, but Hongbin tells him that Jaehwan is a scatterbrain, and surprisingly coy about stuff that involves the heart. 

 

So they go out together sometimes (not actual _dates_ , Sanghyuk doesn’t think), sleep over at each other’s places, and send each other totally non lovey dovey messages on kakaotalk (except Jaehwan likes to use emojis a lot and it _can_ come off a little bit flirty at times), but they’re not officially _mating_. Or dating, for that matter. 

 

It’s a typical Saturday morning when Sanghyuk’s world tilts off its axis, so to speak. He’s just passing by the living room on his way to grab something to eat for breakfast when he catches sight of Jaehwan on his couch, an inconspicuous sketchbook and Copic marker in his hands. It’s certainly not unusual for him to curl up on Sanghyuk’s couch and sketch – it’s pretty much the only thing he does when they’re not in bed, but it’s the first time Sanghyuk’s seen him like this: soft sunlight filtering through the curtains and hitting his face at an angle that brings out the brown in his eyes, hair tumbling into them, tongue peeking out in concentration, body drowned in one of Sanghyuk’s oversized shirt.

 

The picture sends Sanghyuk’s heart into a frenzy for some odd reason, defeating his rational mind enthusiastically. It’s just Jaehwan wearing his dumb old shirt. It shouldn’t be giving him _heart palpitations_ , for fuck’s sake. It’s ridiculous.

 

“Oh, you’re awake,” Jaehwan says cheerily. He shifts and Sanghyuk’s brain short circuits a little because he’s only wearing his boxer briefs underneath. “I saved you some milk if you want cereal, but we really need to get you some groceries later. You’re running out of everything.”

 

It all sounds so – _domestic_ and by right warning bells should be ringing through Sanghyuk’s brain right now, but all he can think about is how he wants to press Jaehwan into the couch and smother him with kisses and affection until all they ever know is each other.

 

“It’s hot out,” is the only thing he manages to croak out, like it’s supposed to explain the weird things that are happening inside him right now.

 

Jaehwan gives him a look. “The supermarket will have air conditioner,” he points out. “Um, you know what’s hot? That guy. Whoa.”

 

Sanghyuk’s head snaps in the direction of his massive television (strictly for maximum gaming experience), where a guy – an actor, perhaps? – is fucking stripping his shirt off while Sanghyuk’s – Jaehwan stares dazedly and in complete awe. Before he knows it, he’s standing in between the screen and the couch.

 

“What are you doing?” he asks, voice a few octaves lower for no apparent reason.

 

Jaehwan’s frowning, and trying to look over his shoulder at the screen and failing because Sanghyuk’s breadth is absolutely no joke. “Trying to watch TV while I work. What are _you_ doing?”

 

“Claiming you.”

 

Jaehwan laughs, indulgent and fond. “But you’ve claimed me so many times – _ah_!”

 

Jaehwan’s skin is warm and silky smooth under his mouth, Sanghyuk grazing his teeth over the tantalizing column of his neck before sucking wetly, clamping down and marking his mate over and over. Jaehwan grows more and more pliant beneath him, legs splayed open and cradling Sanghyuk’s hips wantonly, making the most delicious noises as he holds on to Sanghyuk’s neck. Sanghyuk bites down harder and Jaehwan moans out loud, clutching at the hair at the back of his head and making Sanghyuk moan back in turn.

 

They’ve done this a thousand times, and it’s always been amazing, but when Sanghyuk tips Jaehwan up by the back of his thighs and presses in, it’s an entirely different rapture altogether. He can feel it, their bodies meeting and sparking like never before, and from the way Jaehwan’s mouth drops open in a soundless cry, eyes blown wide, he knows it’s mutual.

 

“Oh, _Hyukie_ – I’m – baby, _please_.”

 

The sudden spike of need to please his omega – his _mate_ – is what answered Sanghyuk’s question from a year ago. It’s overwhelming and terrifying, but he’s strangely thrilled about it, knowing that it’s meant to be and they get to have this forever. He rocks his hips continuously, letting the knot swell, trailing kisses all over Jaehwan as he climaxes from the sensation, long and hard. Sanghyuk holds him as he quakes through it, knowing that it’s just the beginning, that their bodies won’t stop until they’re sated and drained.

 

Sanghyuk keeps on sucking marks on to every bit of skin he can reach, finally helping Jaehwan to take off the shirt Sanghyuk’s insisted he keeps on, sighing at how beautiful Jaehwan looks in his arms.

 

“What was that for, possessive joe?” Jaehwan asks teasingly, heels dug into the dimples of Sanghyuk’s ass.

 

Sanghyuk ducks his head, suddenly shy. “I think we’re—”

 

“Yeah, we are.”

 

Sanghyuk blinks down at Jaehwan, marveling at the certainty in his voice, the steely glint in his eyes and wondering how he’d missed it all this while. He’s so stupid. “I love you.”

 

Jaehwan’s breath hitches, but a split second later he’s mouthing the exact same words against Sanghyuk’s lips, and Sanghyuk thinks idly that he’s never felt so whole before.

\+ 1

The first time Sanghyuk’s ever felt despair, he was fifteen. The flimsy piece of paper in his hand weighed like a massive rock on top of his heart, the single letter stamped across it taunting him. Jaehwan was waiting for him outside the doctor’s office as he walked out, that signature sunny smile etched on his face, so full of hope.

 

As soon as Sanghyuk reached him, he collapsed into Jaehwan’s arms, face buried in his friend’s shoulder. Jaehwan didn’t panic, always the levelheaded one between them, but his breathing faltered all the same, having guessed what got Sanghyuk so distraught. 

 

They grew up together, grew to like each other beyond best friends, and decided to take a test to figure out their orientation, together. Looking back, Sanghyuk guesses it was pretty naïve to think that just because everything had been so perfect and fit well between them so far that the universe would be gracious enough to make them mates, too. 

 

Jaehwan still had his test result in his hand, an O stamped across it. Sanghyuk looked at it again and tears began to prick at his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he sobbed, handing the crumpled paper over for Jaehwan to see.

 

He didn’t dare watch as Jaehwan found out, and a few seconds later Jaehwan was hugging him again, tighter this time. “We’ll make it work. It’s going to be okay.”

 

That damn paper sat at the bottom of his trash bin by the end of the night, but the image of the blood red B on it stayed vivid on Sanghyuk’s mind for years and years.

 

Jaehwan meets his true mate when they’re sophomores in college. Wonshik is a great guy, and unlike the other alphas that tried to approach Jaehwan, he’s not the least weirded out by him dating a beta. It’s a romantic comedy level of cliché how they find each other, and if Sanghyuk isn’t so madly in love with Jaehwan, he’d probably find it hilarious.

 

Jaehwan’s promised to meet him at the dance studio after his practice, and he’s loitering in the hallway when Sanghyuk steps out, waving at him like the dork he is. That’s when the door to the studio next to him bursts open and nearly hit him square in the nose, a dark hooded figure barging out like a hurricane. Wonshik has the decency to apologize to Jaehwan, bowing deeply, before he straightens up and their eyes meet.

 

Sanghyuk’s there to witness it, like a nightmare just a few feet away from him, the moment they click. Sanghyuk can’t see Wonshik’s face, but the look on Jaehwan’s is something he never thought he would ever see directed at another person.

 

Sanghyuk’s nineteen when he experiences despair for the second time.

 

They hang out together often, and people would sometimes stare and their friends would ask questions, but they grow accustomed to it quick, not even noticing the odd looks they’re getting after a while. Someone jokes and asks if they’re a mini pack, all on their own, and Wonshik isn’t the kind of alpha to lash out physically (although Sanghyuk does get the urge to pound the living shit out of the guy), but the glare he cuts that person is enough to shut him up.

 

He’s a good alpha to Jaehwan, too. Sanghyuk can tell that he’s not exactly a tactile person, but he would indulge Jaehwan and holds his hand, touches his skin just to quell the jitters Jaehwan gets whenever his alpha is near. Sanghyuk wonders if it feels the same when he does it for Jaehwan. He guesses not. 

 

Whenever they lie in bed, tangled up limbs and messy kisses, Sanghyuk is waiting for the other shoe to drop. They’re good at this, so attuned to each other’s bodies and ways to please the other that it always ends incredibly. But Jaehwan’s heat is due to hit any day now that he’s found his mate, and Sanghyuk fears the time when he will not be enough to give Jaehwan release – when nothing will ever compare to being claimed by his alpha.

 

Ten weeks after Jaehwan and Wonshik met, Jaehwan’s wracked with fever. They both know what it is, the cloying scent of pheromone thick in the air throughout their apartment, and yet it does nothing to Sanghyuk but amps up his desperation to help – no matter what it takes. 

 

“Hey, Sanghyuk,” Wonshik says over the phone, deep rumbly tone calm and easy. “What’s—”

 

“It’s Jaehwan,” Sanghyuk pants, fingers curled into the hem of his ratty t-shirt nervously. “Wonshik, can you – please help. I don’t know – I _can’t_.”

 

There’s a slight delay, like Wonshik’s seriously considering it, and Sanghyuk has never felt so helpless before. “Okay,” he finally hears. “I’ll be there soon.”

 

Sanghyuk doesn’t know whether to feel relief or defeated. Maybe they should have talked about this before – lay out a plan of action of some sort. He knows Jaehwan will probably be furious at him for calling Wonshik. He just hopes Jaehwan’s not _that_ lost to his heat to make his own decision when it comes down to it. Just thinking about it – Jaehwan having to decide whether or not to let Wonshik knot him, is making Sanghyuk’s stomach twist in the most excruciating way. The fifteen minutes it takes for Wonshik to ring their doorbell feels like the longest he’s ever had to wait in his entire life.

 

Wonshik’s face is half covered with a mask, but Sanghyuk can still see how his pupils enlarge as soon as Sanghyuk throws the door open, Jaehwan’s scent possibly wreaking havoc inside of him. He’s trembling a little when he hands Sanghyuk a bundle of clothes. 

 

“What’s – what’s this?”

 

Wonshik looks like he’s about to faint, cheeks ruddy and eyes so dark Sanghyuk’s almost afraid he’d toss the guy right into the bedroom just to save both his friends. “My clothes. My scent will help, a little. But only to dial the heat down temporarily. You gotta – get him something else.”

 

Shame blooms at the center of Sanghyuk’s chest for not thinking ahead, for ignoring this impending event in the hope that it’ll never come. Wonshik sways a little on his feet and Sanghyuk makes to grab his elbow. “Are you – are you gonna be alright? He’s—” _waiting for you_ , he can’t say.

 

Wonshik nods, stepping back hurriedly. “I’ll be fine. Once I walk away. Just – help Jaehwan.”

 

Jaehwan’s calling out for Sanghyuk, broken moan muffled through the bedroom door. Sanghyuk’s heart races, thinking that Jaehwan can smell his alpha so near and is asking for him. “He’s – Jaehwan—”

 

“I know,” Wonshik says patiently. “You can help. Trust me. This is all I can do.”

 

“ _Sanghyuk-ah_.”

 

Sanghyuk closes the front door and retreats to the bedroom, wincing at how wrecked Jaehwan looks, back arched and body wracked with tremor, covered in sweat and his own slick. He undresses as fast as he can manage, pulling on one of the sweaters Wonshik provided him with before climbing on to the bed. Jaehwan reaches out for him instantly, keening as he buried his face in Sanghyuk’s belly. He’s taking in the scent of his alpha, and Sanghyuk wants to cry at how it makes him feel, but Jaehwan’s saying his name over and over instead of Wonshik’s, and for now it’s enough.

 

He has to take Jaehwan so many times that they’re both limp by midnight, bed an awful mess and room reeking with sex. Jaehwan falls asleep after long minutes of kissing, Sanghyuk finally able to get rid of Wonshik’s clothes and set them aside to wash alongside their ruined sheets. He’s off the bed on shaky legs and heads to his laptop on their study desk, careful not to wake Jaehwan up. He places the order after careful consideration and thanks whichever higher power is responsible for express delivery.

 

He surprises Jaehwan with the toy the next day, the inflatable knot looking ridiculous in his hand. He expects everything from horror to disgust, but Jaehwan only looks worried at the sight of it.

 

“Are you sure you’re okay with it?” he asks, chewing on his bottom lip.

 

Sanghyuk laughs in disbelief. “Of course I am. Anything to help you. You know that, right?”

 

“You idiot,” Jaehwan grins, swatting his chest and looking up at him with those beautiful brown eyes. “I would always prefer the real thing,” he murmurs, slyly reaching down to palm at Sanghyuk’s crotch. “Just so you know.”

 

Sanghyuk sighs, bending down to kiss him.

 

It takes Sanghyuk a week before he can thank Wonshik, because of how busy the engineering major is. Wonshik waves his gratitude off good-naturedly, making him promise to buy him dinner some time instead, but there must be something on Sanghyuk’s face that makes him pause.

 

“Sanghyuk, do you know what platonic mates are?”

 

He’s heard it in passing before, he thinks. It’s extremely uncommon, and therefore must not have made it into their compulsory sex education in school. He shakes his head, waiting for Wonshik to continue.

 

“It’s what Jaehwan and I are, I think,” Wonshik explains, leaning over the café table to look at him closely. “We’re mated, because that’s how we were made, but that’s all there is to it.”

 

“But you guys are still – he needs you,” Sanghyuk says, unsure if he’s even asking a question or stating a fact.

 

“Yes, biologically,” Wonshik nods. “But there are ways around that, as I’m sure you’ve figured out.”

 

Sanghyuk flushes. He’d had to use the toy on Jaehwan when his heat came back around last week, and combined with Wonshik’s clothes, it’d worked, but it still left a gaping doubt howling at him inside. “I’m not – it’s not my place to stop it if he decides to stay with you.”

 

Wonshik frowns, head tilted in a way that makes him look like a puppy. Jaehwan does it sometimes, too, and Sanghyuk childishly muses if it’s a mate thing. “You and I both know he wouldn’t do that. That is something you will never have to worry about.”

 

“And – what about you?” Sanghyuk asks, heart pounding as he waits for Wonshik to answer.

 

“I love him,” Wonshik admits, and Sanghyuk’s gut lurches. But then he’s smiling warmly and adds, “Of course I love him. Like a family. And he never told me this, but I know he feels the same way about me. What you and Jaehwan have, it’s on a whole other level, Sanghyuk. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

 

Sanghyuk keeps his eyes on the table, shaking his head slightly. “How can you be so sure?”

 

“Because I see how you guys are,” Wonshik says easily. “And ten years down the road, Jaehwan and I will have bonded a lot more, but even then it will never be at the level of what you two will have.”

 

Sanghyuk’s horrified to feel his eyes brimming with tears, and he wipes it harshly with the back of one hand, sniffling. “Damn it,” he grumbles. “Look at what you made me do.”

 

Wonshik laughs, that deep belly laughter that resonates across the room, and ruffles his hair.

 

Jaehwan’s reclining on their bed reading a book when Sanghyuk gets home. He’s still reeling from the fact that Wonshik’s laid it out so clearly for them, begrudgingly admitting that the alpha is better than him in so many ways. But as soon as Jaehwan sees him, his eyes light up and he’s sticking his arm out so Sanghyuk will embrace him, and Sanghyuk falls right into him readily.

 

They stay for hours together, Sanghyuk’s head on Jaehwan’s chest as he hums and sings him songs after songs, fingers carding through Sanghyuk’s hair. When they do this in the past, Sanghyuk always thinks about how he wishes he would’ve been enough for Jaehwan – even as a beta. He’s only mildly entertaining the thought now when Jaehwan’s voice falters.

 

“You know you’re my everything, right, Han Sanghyuk?” Jaehwan whispers right next to his ear, pressing a butterfly kiss to the tip.

 

Sanghyuk’s little beta heart soars, and after so long, he finally thinks he belongs with Jaehwan.

**Author's Note:**

> » title taken from shakira’s ‘hips don’t lie’ ///_\\\
> 
>  
> 
> » written for 160406. happy birthday, lee jaehwan! i love you very much, you giant nerd. °˖✧ Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ ✧˖°


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